Florida voters give Gov. Jeb Bush a 52 - 39 percent approval rating, with mixed grades
on his handling of education and good scores for his handling of the economy and the
environment, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today.

Gov. Bush had a 62 - 30 percent approval in a September 23, 2004, poll by the
independent Quinnipiac (KWIN uh-pe-ack) University, as he moved through the state
with President George W. Bush, promising to restore hurricane damage. That approval
dropped to 55 - 34 percent by December 7, 2004.

Florida voters say 67 - 25 percent they do not want Gov. Bush to run for President
in 2008.

When asked whether the governor has made progress in key areas, voters say:

62 - 35 percent that progress had been made in the economy;

54 - 41 percent that progress had been made creating jobs;

52 - 40 percent that progress had been made protecting the environment;

47 - 47 percent split on whether progress had been made in education.

51 - 41 percent say he failed to make progress cutting taxes.

"Gov. Bush's approval rating continues to slide from his post hurricane high of
62 percent in September, but has not hit the low of 45 scored in August," said Clay F.
Richards, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.

"After six years in office, Gov. Bush gets passing grades from the voters for jobs
and the economy and the environment. But considering the emphasis Bush has put on
improving public schools, his education grade is not very impressive," Richards added.

Since Bush became Governor, things in Florida have gotten better, 31 percent of
voters say, with 26 percent who say they got worse and 37 percent who say they are the
same.

In an open-ended question, where respondents can give any answer, 31 percent of
Florida voters list education as the most important problem in the state, followed by 9
percent who say the economy and 7 percent who list the environment.

Schools statewide are "excellent," 6 percent of voters say, with 34 percent who
say "good," 33 percent who say "not so good," and 22 percent who say "poor."
Looking at schools in their own community, 57 percent of voters say "good" or
"excellent," with 37 percent who say "not so good" or "poor."

State spending on public schools should be increased, according to 75 percent of
Florida voters, including 85 percent of voters with children in public schools. Another
19 percent say spending should be kept the same, and 2 percent say it should be cut.

"The education problem is seen as most bleak in the southeast part of the state
where two thirds of voters say the schools in the state are not so good or poor and only
27 percent rank them excellent or fair. Voters in Florida say loud and clear: one answer
is spending more on public schools in Florida," Richards said.

From February 18 - 22, Quinnipiac University surveyed 1,007 Florida voters
with a margin of error of +/- 3.1 percentage points.

The Quinnipiac University Poll, directed by Douglas Schwartz, Ph.D., conducts
public opinion surveys in Florida, Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut
and the nation as a public service and for research.
For additional data -- www.quinnipiac.edu and quicklinks

TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the way Jeb Bush is handling his job as
Governor?